Socio-economic composition of low-acuity paediatric presentation at a regional hospital emergency department

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dc.citation.issue12
dc.citation.volume54
dc.contributor.authorAlele F
dc.contributor.authorCallander E
dc.contributor.authorEmeto T
dc.contributor.authorMills JE
dc.contributor.authorWatt K
dc.coverage.spatialAustralia
dc.date.available2018-12
dc.date.available2018-05-02
dc.date.issued2/05/2018
dc.description"This is the pre-peer reviewed version of the following article: Alele, F. O., Callander, E. J., Emeto, T. I., Mills, J. and Watt, K. (2018), Socio‐economic composition of low‐acuity paediatric presentation at a regional hospital emergency department. J Paediatr Child Health, 54: 1341-1347. doi:10.1111/jpc.14079, which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jpc.14079 . This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions."
dc.description.abstractAim Despite increasing rates of emergency department (ED) utilisation, little is known about low‐acuity presentations in children ≤5 years. The aims of the study were to estimate the proportion and cost of low‐acuity presentations in children ≤5 years presenting to the ED and to determine the relative effect of socio‐economic status (SES) on paediatric low‐acuity presentations at the ED. Methods This is a retrospective observational study of children ≤5 years presenting to the Cairns Hospital ED over 4 years. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to assess the association between SES and low‐acuity presentations. Cost of low‐acuity presentations was calculated based on triage score and admission status, using costs obtained from the National Hospital Cost Data Collection. Results A total of 23 086 children were included in the study, of whom 56.7% were male (mean age = 1.85 ± 1.63 years). Approximately one‐third of ED visits were low‐acuity presentations (32.4%), and low‐acuity presentations increased progressively with SES. In multivariate analysis, children from families with very high SES were twice as likely to have a low‐acuity presentation (odds ratio 2.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.66–2.85). Low‐acuity ED presentations cost the health‐care system in excess of A$895 000–A$1 110 000 per year. Conclusions These findings demonstrate that a significant proportion of paediatric ED visits are of low acuity and that these visits yield a substantial cost to the health system. Further research is required regarding care givers' rationale and potentially other reasons underlying these low‐acuity ED presentations.
dc.description.publication-statusPublished
dc.format.extent1341 - 1347
dc.identifierhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29863756
dc.identifier.citationJ Paediatr Child Health, 2018, 54 (12), pp. 1341 - 1347
dc.identifier.doi10.1111/jpc.14079
dc.identifier.eissn1440-1754
dc.identifier.elements-id413137
dc.identifier.harvestedMassey_Dark
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10179/14477
dc.languageeng
dc.publisherWiley
dc.relation.isPartOfJ Paediatr Child Health
dc.subjectchild, pre-school
dc.subjectemergency services, hospital
dc.subjectinfant
dc.subjectinfant, newborn
dc.subjectsocial class
dc.subjectChild, Preschool
dc.subjectCross-Sectional Studies
dc.subjectEmergency Service, Hospital
dc.subjectFemale
dc.subjectHealth Care Costs
dc.subjectHealth Services Misuse
dc.subjectHumans
dc.subjectInfant
dc.subjectLogistic Models
dc.subjectMale
dc.subjectPatient Acuity
dc.subjectRetrospective Studies
dc.subjectSocioeconomic Factors
dc.subjectTriage
dc.subject.anzsrc1103 Clinical Sciences
dc.subject.anzsrc1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine
dc.subject.anzsrc1117 Public Health and Health Services
dc.titleSocio-economic composition of low-acuity paediatric presentation at a regional hospital emergency department
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.notesNot known
pubs.organisational-group/Massey University
pubs.organisational-group/Massey University/Other
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